CM cancels prescheduled programmes, returns to Doon
By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 7 May: In view of the continuously raging forest fires in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has cancelled some of his pre-scheduled programmes and reached Dehradun today. He is due to hold a top level meeting in this regard tomorrow. At this meeting, he will review the efforts being made to effectively control and prevent forest fires in the state. The meeting will be held at the Secretariat tomorrow. It may be recalled that the raging forest fires are not abating. Most of the efforts of the forest department to effectively control the forest fires are proving to be largely unsuccessful. To add to the concerns, the Char Dham Yatra is starting on 10 May. With many of the Yatra routes also affected due to the forest fires, it will the priority and the effort of the government to ensure that the Yatra is not adversely affected due to the forest fires. In view of the seriousness of the situation, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who has been on an election tour to various parliamentary constituencies on behalf of BJP in several states, cancelled some of his prescheduled programmes to return to Dehradun this evening.
Tomorrow, the CM will review the efforts being made to effectively prevent forest fires in various areas of the state. In addition, he will also review the drinking water crisis and issue directions to ensure that the drinking water crisis does not result in undue inconvenience to the consumers as well as the tourists across the state.
Besides, the CM is also expected to review the state and district level preparations for the upcoming monsoon. It may be recalled that the monsoon also brings its own challenges in Uttarakhand, which is highly prone to natural disasters and landslides during these months.
Sources in the state administration claimed that CM Dhami will also review the preparations for the Char Dham Yatra and the arrangements being made along the Yatra routes. After the meeting tomorrow, the CM is scheduled to leave for Rudraprayag and review the various arrangements being made in Kedarnath and the trekking route and also the preparations being made for traffic management during the Yatra season.
It is worth reminding that, during the past two weeks, CM Dhami has held several meetings including some on virtual basis with top officials including the Chief Secretary regarding forest fires and issued strict directions on effective control and prevention of forest fires. He also directed the Chief Secretary to fix accountability of senior forest officers in this regard and directed DFOs to themselves go into the field instead of sitting in offices. In the last such meeting, he had given instructions that the forest fire should be controlled under any circumstances within seven days. However, this has not happened and the forests continue to burn.
Yesterday, at the direction of the CM, Chief Secretary Radha Raturi too chaired a review meeting, in which many important decisions were taken regarding control of forest fire. After the start of summer season, shortage of drinking water has intensified in many parts of the state. The water crisis is also deepening in the areas surrounding the capital Dehradun. Similar situations prevail in other parts of the state, including in the hills.
The Uttarakhand Chardham Yatra 2024 is starting with the opening of the portals of Gangotri Yamunotri and Kedarnath Dham on 10 May. In such a situation, the CM will also review the arrangements for Chardham Yatra 2024 at the meeting tomorrow.
